Sewing-machine.



J. RlMOFFATT.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1910.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

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} J. R. MOFFATT. SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION F |LED JUNE 6. 1910.

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arrow/"c433 J. R. MOFFATT.

SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6. 1910.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3 J. R; MOFFATT. SEWING MACHINE. APPLIVCATION FILED JUNE 6. 1910.

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1. R. MOFFATL SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 6,1910.

Patented Mar. 7,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5 a Hot/nu UN TED STATES I PATENT oFm JAMES- n. MOFFATT, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR rrov UNION SPECIAL. MACHINE COMPANY, or CHICAGO, ILLINoIs, A conronArIo or ILLINoIs.

SEWING-MACHINE.

Application filed June 6, 1910. Serial No. 565,402.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES R. MorFA'r'r, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook, State of 1111- 'nois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Sewing-Machines, of which the following is a description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in sewing machines, and more especially to sewing machines having a foot or blade which may be given a differential movement relative to the feed of the sewing machine. An object of the invention is to provide mechanism for operating the foot or blade of the above character, so that the same is given positive back and-forth movementsto feed the material, and also positive vertical movements into and out of engagement with the material, whereby said foot or blade is caused to have "a four motion movement, which blade or foot is also capable of readily being lifted from the material upon the raising of the presser foot A further object of the invention is to provide a blade or foot of the above character with mechanism whereby the stroke of said blade or foot may be quickly varied while the machine 1s 1n operation, or rendered inoperative 1f deslred.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine of the above character, with means for folding the edge of the body material and also means for guiding and folding the edges of a strip which is to be attached to the body material.

These and other objects will in part be obvious, and will in part be hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention; Figure 1 is a front view of a sewing machine, embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4-1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5

is a vertical section showing the mechanism for vibrating the blade or foot back and forth, and the means for varying the vibrations or rendering the same ineffective. Fig. 6 is a detail showing the support for the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

blade or foot, and its position relative to the presser foot when at the rear end of its stroke and raised from the material, also 1 showing in dotted lines said blade or foot in engagement with the. material.. Fig. 7 is a similar viewwith the blade or foot at the forward end of its stroke, and in engagement with the material, also showing in dotted lines the blade raised fromthe material. Fig. 8 is a detail showing in dotted lines the blade or foot raised by the lifting of the presser foot. Fig. 9is a perspective view with the parts detached, of the blade or foot support. Fig. 10 is a detail showing in plan view, the support for the blade or foot. Fig. 11 is a sectional view through the work plate and the folders for the body fabric,

and for the facing strip. Fig. 12 shows .a

body fabric attached to a facing strip by my improved mechanism. Fig. 13- is a section on the line wm of Fig. 2.

I The sewing machine to which my in'ven- 1 tion is applied is of the ordinary character and comprises a work plate 1, an overhanging arm 2, a needle head 3, in which reciprocates aneedle bar 4, carrying in the present instance, needles 5, 5. The needle bar is rec'iprocated by the usual needle lever 6, which is connected through the link? to the main shaft 8 of the machine. The feed dog 9 (see Fig. 3) is carried by a feed bar which ispivoted to a' feed rocker 10 infthe well known manner, and is given the usual four motlon movements. Cooperating with the main feed9 is a blade or foot 11, which as herein shown is rigidly mounted in an arm 12 which is pivotally connected to a bracket 13 rigidly mounted on a bar 14, which is adapted to slide in bearings 15 carried by a second bracket 16, which is screwed to the head of the machine. The bar 1 1 is reciprocated in the bearings 15 by an oscillating arm 17,- which is connected by a link- 18 to a stud 19, bracket. 13.

The oscillating arm 17 is attached to the rigidly fastened to the outer end of, a shaft 20. The shaft 20 is mounted to oscillate in sleeve 21, which in turn is supported to oscillate by bearings 22,

22, fastened to the overhanging arm of the machine. The opposite end of the shaft 20 carries an arm 23 to which is pivoted a link 24. The opposite end of the link.24 is pivoted at 25 to a yoke .26 (see Fig: 5). .The

yoke 26 is carried by a stud mounted in bearings 27 and 28. At its free end said yoke is suitably connected to a cam 29 on the main shaft 8. Said yoke carries a rib 30 which is cylindrical in cross section, (see Fig. 2). A block 31 is provided with a cyiindrical recess, which engages the rib 30 so that said block may slide thereon. The link 24 is pivoted at 25 to the sliding block 31.

The rib 30 crosses the axispf the yoke 26 and the block 31' may be moved to bring the pivotal connection in such relation to the fulcrum of the yoke that no movements will be imparted to the link 24 when the yoke is oscillated. The block 31 may also be moved away from the fulcrum of the yoke so as to cause the link to be reciprocated, and the shaft 20 oscillated, and the extent of oscillation of the shaft will depend upon the distance between the pivotal connection 25 between the link and the block, and the fulcrum of the yoke. The oscillations of the shaft 20 from the yoke 26 will be imparted to the arm 17, and in turn cause the bar 14 to be reciprocated in the bearings 15, and thus carry the blade or foot connected to the bracket 13, back and forth in the direc'- tion of the line of feed.

As a means for shifting the position of the block 31 on the rib 30, I have provided a rock lever 32 which is pivoted at 33 to a bracket arm 34 secured to the standard of the machine. Alink 35 is pivoted at one end to the rock lever 32, and at its-other end to the block 31. The free end of the rock lever is connected to a knee shift or suitable treadle which is under the control of the operator. I may also provide the rock lever 32 .with spaced arms 36, 36, each of which carries a stop screw 37. The stop screws are located in the plane of the bracket arm 34,and will limit the throw of the rock lever 32. I am able by manipulation of the stop screws, to

set the same so that the blade or foot 006perating with the feed, may be moved at one predetermined differential feed relative to the foot, and then at another predetermined differential feed, or may be moved in unison with the main feed or if desired, rendered entirely inoperative, shifting from one predetermined throw of the plate or foot to another, as desired.

The arm 12 which carries the blade or foot 11, is pivoted to the bracket arm 13, so that said arm may be swung up and down to bring the blade or foot into and out of contact with the material. Said, arm 12 is swung about its pivotal connection by a link 38, which is pivoted at its upper end to an arm 39 rigidly carried by the sleeve 21,

which extends around the right hand bear ing 22, attached to the needle head of the machine. The sleeve 21 carries an arm 40 which is provided at its outer end with a segmental slot 41, (see Fig. 4). A second four motion movements.

aunt e link 42 is adjustably connected to the segmental slot 41, at one end and is pivoted at 43 at its other end, to a yoke 44, which cooperates with a cam 45 on the main shaft 8, all of which is clearly shown in Fig. 4. Said yoke 44 (see Fig. 2) is freely journaled on the stud mounted in the bearings 27 and 28, which carries the yoke 26. As the main shaft rotates, the oscillations of the yoke 44 through the link 42 and-the sleeve 21, will reciprocate the link 38 and thusvi brate or oscillate the arm 12. These movements of the main shaft will move'the blade or foot up and down into and out of contact with the material. The parts are preferably so timed that the blade is moved into engagement with the fabric as shown in dotted linesin Fig. 6, after which it is moved forward to carry the fabric toward the needle, then it is raised from the fabric as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7, after which it is returned to its first position as shown in full lines in Fig. 6. It will be seenthat I have provided a feeding blade or foot, which is given positive back and forth movements, and positive up and down movements, or which has positive As above noted, the'feeding blade or foot may be moved in unison with the main feed, or may be given a differential movement relative thereto, or rendered inoperative as desired, by the opergtor through the shifting of the rock lever I The presser foot 46 which is of the usual construction is carried by the presser bar 47, which may be lifted by a hand lever 48 or a lever 49 connected to a treadle or knee shift in the well known manner.

In order that the feeding blade or foot which is moved positively up and down may still have a yielding movement so as to accommodate varying thicknesses-of fabric,

and so also asto allow said feeding blade or foot to be raised from the material when the presser foot is raised, I have provided the following construction: The link 38 is pivotally connected to an arm 50 which is located between spaced ears the outer end of the bracket arm 13. The arm. 12 which directly supports the blade or foot 11, is rigidly attached to a short stud 51. A sleeve 52 fits freely over the stud 51, and is journaled in the spaced ears in the outer end of the bracket arm 13. Said sleeve 52 also carries the inner end of the arm 50. Said arm 50 is split at 53 and a screw 54 passing through the upper section of the arm 50.

into the lower slit section thereof, will operate to clamp the arm 50 rigidly on the sleeve 52. The sleeve 52 is provided at its outer end with a rigidly attached thumbpiece 55. The outer endof the stud 51 has a longitudinal slot 56. A coil spring 57 is housed within the outer end of the sleeve 52, and one end thereof engages the longitudinal slot 56 in the stud 51. The other end of the spring 58 engages the recess 59 in the outer end of the sleeve 52. A screw 60 is threaded into the outer end of the stud 51, and holds the parts assembled. It will be seen therefore, that one end of the coil spring 57 engages the sleeve 52, and the other end engages the stud 51 rigidly attached to the arm 12. If the spring is under proper tension, the arm 12 will be rotated with the stud 51, so as to carry the blade or foot downward toward the material or cloth plate of the machine. The sleeve 52 as above noted, is rigidly attached to the arm 50 which in turn is pivoted to the link 38 so that said sleeve cannot oscillate, except with the link 38, and therefore, the spring will cause the above movement. of the blade or foot toward the material. \Vhen it is desired to vary the tension on the coil spring 57, the screw 54 is released and the thumb-' piece 55 rigidly connected to the sleeve 52,

turned soas to vary the relative position of said sleeve and arm 50,, and thus the tension on the spring may be increased or decreased as desired.

In order that the link 38.1nay lift the feeding blade or foot 11, it is necessary to limit the downward movement of the arm 12, and I have provided the arm 12 with a projecting lug 61 which extends into a recess 62 formed in the sleeve 52. Said spring will turn the arm 12 until the lug 61 engages one of the walls of the recess 62, which wall will limit the movement of the arm 12 relative to the sleeve 52, and therefore, when the sleeve is oscillated by the upward movement of the link 38, said lug 61 will serve as a positive means for raising the feeding blade or foot from the cloth plate.

In order that the blade or foot may be raised when the presser foot is raised to facilitate the insertion of the material, I havev mounted a rigid arm 63 on the outer end of the presser foot which arm extends into the path of a second adjustable arm 64, which is attached to the supporting arm 12 for the blade or foot 11. A screw secures the arm 64 to the arm 12, and will serve as a means for providing an adjustment of the arm 64, relative to the arm 12, when desired. The arm 63 is normally out of engagement with the arm 64, but when the presser foot is lifted from the material, said arm 63 will engage the arm' 64 and'swing the arm, 12 relative to the sleeve 52. The slot or recess 62 formed in the sleeve 52 will allow this movement.

While my machine is of course, adapted for various kinds of work, and by giving to the feeding blade or foot a proper movement, said machine may be used for ruflling or gathering,

65 which .is especially adapted for stitching I have provided a mechanism.

an elastic body material to an inelastic facing strip. The elastic body material is fed through a folder 6.6 which is provided with a folding lip 67 which operates to turn underneath the body material the outer or raw edge of said body material. The facing strip is fed through the folder guide 68. Said folding guide has a central yielding tongue '69 underneath which the facing strip passes, and said folding guide is tapered toward its delivery end so that the side edges of the facingstrip are each turned over on top of the strip.

The bed plate is preferably recessed as clearly shown in Fig. 1, so that the facing strip may be folded and guided underneath the body material, and said body material and facing strip with their edges properly folded, fed together to the stitching mechanism. The under feed engages .the facing strip, While the feeding blade or foot 11 will engage the elastic body materiaL The needles 5, 5, are preferably spaced so as to stitch through the facing strip ad acent the edges thereof, as indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 12.

One of the difiiculties of handling simultaneously an elastic material, and an inelastic material, is that said elastic material will be stretched by the feed of the machine,

while the inelastic material will not be stretched and therefore, uneven work will be produced. By my improved mechanism, the feeding blade or foot 11 may be given a differential movement relative to the main feed, and thus feed to the stitching mechanism the elastic material, slightly faster than the inelastic material is fed by the main feed, and this difference in the feeding of the two materials may be so regulated as to overcome the tendency of the elastic mate-' rial to stretch so thatthe two materials will be fed simultaneously and evenly to the stitching mechanism, without any stretching of one material relative to the other.

The elastic material beingfolded in at its outer edge will cause a greater thickness of combined material on the right hand side of the stitching mechanism, and in order that the feeding blade or foot 11 may properly engage the entire material, I have cut away or set back the outer endof said blade or foot, as clearly shown at 70 in Fig. 10. This portion of the blade or foot 11 will engage the material where the double fold occurs, While the remaining portion of the blade or foot-willengage the material over the single fold in the facing strip.

It will be noted from Fig. 4 of the drawings, that the cam for raising and lowering the feeding blade or foot is provided with two concentric portions, so that during certain periods of the movement of the cam, the

blade or foot is given adwell. By this construction of cam, I am able to move the rufiling blade or foot back and forth while there is a dwell in the up and down movement or movement in a direction across the path of the back and forth movement. This movement of the feeding blade or foot is very desirable, as it allows the same to be lifted directly from the fabric without in any way retracting it, and to be brought quickly into engagement with the fabric for the forward the shaft 20.

Having thus particularly described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure, by Letters Patent, is

1 In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism and a main feeding mechanism, a supporting member,

means for positively movlng said supporting member back and forth in the direction of its length and in a direction parallel with the line of feed, an arm pivotally connected to said supporting member, a fabric feeding member carried by said arm, and means independent of said first named means for swinging said arm to raise said feeding member from'engagement with the fabric and for lowering said feeding member into engagement with the fabric at each reciprocation of said supporting member.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism and a main feeding mechanism, a supporting member, means for positively reciprocating said supporting member back and forth in the direc tion'of its length and in a direction parallel with the line of feed, an arm pivoted to said supporting member, a fabric feeding mem- Iber carried-by said arm, means for positively swinging-said aim up and down for causing said feeding member to engage the fabric during its feeding stroke and to be disengaged from the fabric during its return stroke, and means for connecting said feeding member to said arm whereby said feeding member may be yieldingly moved into contact with the fabric by said means for positively swinging said arm.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism and a main feeding mechanism, of a supporting member, means for positively reciprocating said, supporting member back and forth inthe line of feed, an arm pivoted to said supporting member, means for positively swinging said arm up and down, a second arm adapted to swing independently of said first named arm, and carried by said supporting member, a spring interposed be= tween said arms for moving said second arm downward,:'a stop for limiting the downward movement of this second arm, and a feeding member carried by said second arm.

4:.111 a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism, and a main feeding mechanism, of a supporting member, means for reciprocating. said supporting member back and forth in the direction.

ofthe line of feed, an arm pivoted to said supporting member, means for positively swinging said arm up and down, a feeding member co'nnected'to and swinging with said arm and movable with said arm out of engagement with the fabric and into en- 7 gagement with the fabric, and means .controlled bythe operator for varyingthe reciprocation ofsaid supporting member, for

rendering the same inoperative -without stopping the stitch forming mechanism.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism,- and a 'main feeding mechanism, ,of asupporting member, means for positively moving the supporting member back and forth' in the direction of the line of feed, an arm pivotally connected to. said supporting member, means for swinging said arm up and down, a second. arm mounted on'said supporting member, and movable therewith, means for connecting said first named arm to said. second named arm, whereby said second 6. In a sewingmachine, the combination of a hor zontalreciprocating bar, a bracket carried by said bar, means for positively re ciprocating said bar back and forth in the direction of'the. line of feed, an arm pivoted to said bracket so as to swing in a vertical plane, a feeding member connected to said arm and moving therewith, and

means independent of said reciprocating means for swing-1n g said arm about its pivot, whereby the'feeding member is raised'from the fabric at one end of the reciprocation of said bar and lowered into engagement with the fabric at the other end of the reciprocation of said bar. I

7. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism, ofa reciprocating bar, means for positively reciprocating said bar back and forth, a.bracket arm carried by said bar, an arm pivoted to said bracket arm, and swinging in a vertisaid arm upand down, a feeding blade consecond named arm,

positively swinging mechanism,

other end to said sleeve,

nected to said arm' and moving therewith, and means under the control of the operator for" varying the reciprocation of said bar, or rendering the .same inoperative without stopping the stitch forming mechanism.

8. In a sewin machine, the combination with stitch, forming mechanism, and a main feeding. mechanism, of a reciprocatin'g'bar movable back and forth in the direction of feed, means for positively moving said bar back and forth, an arm pivoted to said bar, and swinging in a vertical plane, means for said arm up and down, a secondarm'conncted to and movable with said reciprocating-bar, a'spring interposed between said swinging arm and said second named arm, and y eldmgl 2o forcing said second named arm downward, a stop for limiting the downward movement offsaid second named arm relative to said swinging arm, a feeding member carried by said and means under the for. varyingthe recontrol of the operator for rendering the ciprocation of said bar stitching mechanism.

9. The combinatlon of amain feeding of a supporting member movable back and forth in the direction of the line of feed, of an arm pivoted to said 'supporting member and swinging ma vertical plane, a sleeve to which said arm is adjustably oted stud located in' said sleeve, a coil spring connected at one end to said stud and at the and a feeding blade or foot carried by said second arm, and a direction of the stop for limiting the movement of said second arm relative to the sleeve and first named arm secured to said sleeve.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination of a horizontal reciprocating bar, a bracket carried by said bar, means for positively reciprocating said -bar back and forth in the line of feed, anarm pivoted to said bracket so as to swing in a vertical plane, a feeding member connected to said arm and moving therewith, means independent' of said reciprocating means for swinging said arm about its. pivot, whereby thefeeding member is raised from the fabric at one end of the reciprocation of said bar and lowered into engagement with the fabric at the other end of he reciprocation of said bar, and means carried by the presser foot for liftingsaid feeding member. when said presser foot is raised.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination of a presser foot, of a supporting member,

means for positivelvmoving the supporting member back and forth, an arm pivoted to said supporting member and swinging in a vertical plane, means for positively swingmember,

' said supporting member,

stopping the connected, a second arm having a piving said arm up and down for each complete movement of said supporting member, a sec- 12 In a sewing machine, the combination with a presser foot, of a reciprocating member, means for positively reciprocating said member, an arm pivoted to said supporting and swinging in a vertical plane, a second arm pivoted to and movable with a' spring interposed between said arm and moving said second arm downward relative to said first named arm, a stop for limiting the downward movement ofsaid second named arm, and means carried by the presser foot for swinging 'said'second named arm away from the stop when the presser foot is raised.

- 13. A rufliing mechanism including in combination, a rufliing blade, means for giving said ruffling blade a work-feeding movement, means to give said blade a second movement in a direction across thepath of the first named movement, including an arm and a link adjustably connected to said arm for varying said movement, and devices connected to said link for operatingthe same.

mentof' said rufiling blade.

14. A rufliing mechanism including in a combination, a rufliing blade, means to give said rufliing blade a work-feeding movement, means for giving said rufiiingblade a movement in ,a direction across the path of said first named movement, manually-operated means for varying the extent of. fabricfe eding movement of said rufliingblade, and

means cooperating with said manually-operated means whereby said ruffling blade maybe shifted from one predetermined extent of fabric-feeding movement to another. i

" 15. A sewing machine including in combination, stitch-forming mechanism and a ruffiingfbla'de, means for giving said ruffling blade a continuous reciprocating movement, means for moving said ruffling blade in a direction across the path of said first 'named movement, manually-controlled means for varying said 1 continuously reciprocating movement without stopping the stitching mechanism and without adjusting. the mechanism for giving said blade its second movement.

16. A sewing machine including incombination, an overhanging arm, a rufliing mechanism comprising a ruffling blade, a bracket attached to the lower end of said overhanging arm, a reciprocating part supported I forv limiting the movement thereof in both directions,

from said bracket to which said rufilin-g In testin ony WhereofI aflix my signature, blade-is pivoted, an arm connected to said in presence of two Witnesses.

reciprocating part to give said blade one of its movements and a second arm for JAMES MOFFATT' Y 6 moving said blade about its pivotal connec- Witnesses:

tion and means for operating both of said E. G. MASON,

arms. C. MCNEIL. 

